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Nepalese men attacked fans before Shots' match

By Stephanie Cockroft
May 09, 2012

A FIVE-MAN gang who threw missiles at innocent fans on the night of one of Aldershot’s most historic football games have been told they disgraced the Nepalese community.

The young Nepali men were in the dock on Thursday last week (May 3) after admitting launching the unprovoked attack during Aldershot Town FC’s high profile match against Manchester United last October.

The drunk defendants even threw two missiles at the innocent group during the "thoroughly disturbing" incident outside Yates’s wine bar in Victoria Road, the court was told.

During the sentencing hearing at Aldershot Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Philip Gillibrand told the defendants their behaviour had "badly damaged" the reputation of the Nepalese community.

But the judge stopped short of jailing the gang, adding that the defendants might have "sour feelings" from being provoked on other occasions by indigenous British "idiots".

He also told the defendants they had a duty to show everyone what a fantastic contribution the Nepalese community was making to this country.

All the defendants had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.

The defendants were Mike Thakali, 20, of St Michaels Road, Aldershot, Jason Rai, 23, of St Christophers Place, Farnborough, Ganesh Bura, 18, of Kingsley Road, Farnborough, Rabin Gurung, 19, of York Road, Aldershot, and a 17-year-old from Camberley, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The court heard the incident started on October 25 after the defendants had been drinking at the Word of Mouth in the High Street.

The group then walked to Yates’s here they began hurling abuse and making insulting gestures at a nearby group of supporters from the other side of the road.

Weapons were then thrown and the incident escalated, despite intervention from police, the court was told.

Prosecutor Merenda Beckley told the judge that alcohol had played a "considerable part" in the incident.

She said there had only been one woman police officer on duty at that time, who had her "hands full".

“It had been a well-publicised football match and there was a lot of excitement in Aldershot,” she said.

“But there had been no signs of disturbance until the defendants came and offered provocation.”

The judge described the CCTV footage, which showed the full incident, as "thoroughly disturbing".

He said: “It turned into a really quite unpleasant incident in respect of the police officer. I hope you feel ashamed of your behaviour.”

Ms Beckley also asked the judge to consider whether the offenders went into Aldershot solely to cause trouble.

But defence solicitor Rebecca Shortt successfully argued that the incident should not be categorised as football violence.

Passing sentence, Judge Gillibrand said he would treat the defendants leniently because he believed they had learned their lessons.

He said: “You have let the Nepalese community down.

“So far as you are here, you are welcome in this country and are appreciated and valued members of the community.

“You should uphold the high standards which you know are part of your culture, and have gentlemanly behaviour.

“We have got to set an example for the future. Do the best you can. Show everybody what a fantastic contribution you can make to this country.”

He added: “There are some indigenous British people who do not know how to behave and you might have sour feelings about the way you are treated.

“But come on - we will stand together. There is no need for you to be involved in this sort of incident. You have damaged the rest of the Nepalese community.

“I expect you to behave in a good way, even if there are idiots provoking you, which I know was not what happened in this incident.”

Judge Gillibrand sentenced the four older defendants to a 12-month community order and ordered them to complete 100 hours' unpaid work.

The 17-year-old was given a six-moth referral order with the youth offending panel.

All the defendants, except for Rai, were also ordered to pay £105 costs.

PC Rob Botting, from Aldershot CID, said: “This was a great event for Aldershot Town playing host to Manchester United at our local ground and all their visiting fans.

"There was a great atmosphere in a run up to this event and on the night of the match.

“Sadly though this was ruined by a small minority who sought to spoil this atmosphere and acted in a way which was not acceptable.

“We will not accept this behaviour and will look to prosecute anyone who causes problems on our streets.”

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I see the drunk women in the you tube video that shouted racist abuse on the tube got 5 months.

So that’s it then, a precedent has been set, use foul and abusive language whilst drunk and you get 5 months………or does it ???????

doormon, Aldershot
30/05/2012 at 11:03

@steve radford:

"But what i hadn't noticed myself,yet he pointed out was the HUGH number of Nepalese businesses in Station Road!."

Clearly time for your eye test! ;-) I take it you both could count? How many were there?

"Where does a poverty stricken community SUDDENLY obtain money to set up new businesses-especially as we all know how reluctant banks are to LEND money in the current recession,,,,WHERE EXACTLY HAS THIS MONEY SPRANG FROM?. I couldn't answer him."

You obviously don't get around much. The first shop opened 10-11 years ago.

The others opened 4-5 years later and they are NOT all Nepalese - BEFORE the financial crises!!

Remember, time for your eye test.

unhappy (now disgusted)
28/05/2012 at 23:43

a soldier mate of mine had fond memories of Aldershot, so his horrified reaction to what the town has become came as little surprise to me. He asked me... WHY do the locals ALWAYS vote Conservative?,what,in god's name,has been CONSERVED here?, he could barely recognise the town,thinking himself in NEPAL/VIETNAM.But what i hadn't noticed myself,yet he pointed out was the HUGH number of Nepalese businesses in Station Road!.Where does a poverty stricken community SUDDENLY obtain money to set up new businesses-especially as we all know how reluctant banks are to LEND money in the current recession,,,,WHERE EXACTLY HAS THIS MONEY SPRANG FROM?. I couldn't answer him.

steve radford
24/05/2012 at 11:32

@UKR: I've started stocking up on XB Falcons' and hoarding fuel ! I plan to build a compound for us all to live inside when time comes....

Hector
20/05/2012 at 13:05

I agree but it's a VERY flawed world we live in! So much so that I am not going to expand for the sake of my sanity.

Whatever section of the community the defendents came from, the judge's words do not suggest this was a trivial offence.

Yes it is a very flawed world and we have two choices we can sit as a passenger as our world decends into chaos or we can make a stand and say not in my name. I speak with people of many faiths and it is agreed that the first step must be a return to Christian values (no one can disagree with the ten commandments) it is not a question of belief but of returning to structure and order

The Christian faith preaches forgiveness as wrong doers are always quick to remind us, it is a pity that they only remember the first word of the quotation, in full it says forgiveness is for those who truly repent, it does not say foregiveness is for those who are full of self pity and full of remorse for being cought. something that our judges need to remember.

What are we going to tell our grandchildren when they ask What did you do to try and stop our world declining into lawlessness and chaos. What will your answer be?

UKR
16/05/2012 at 15:16

"He said: “It turned into a really quite unpleasant incident in respect of the police officer.” -The judge.

Whatever section of the community the defendents came from, the judge's words do not suggest this was a trivial offence.

Taff Rail
16/05/2012 at 10:16

@UKR: "And why should the burden both financial and mental fall on the victim. The cost to the of the Lawrence case ran into millions of pounds and cost the family divorse due to the enormous stress the family were put under."

I agree but it's a VERY flawed world we live in! So much so that I am not going to expand for the sake of my sanity.

unhappy (now disgusted)
15/05/2012 at 16:06

The victim can always take out a private prosecution and/or file a complaint about the handling of their case, as did Mr & Mrs Lawrences, parents of the racially motivated murder of Stephen Lawerence.

And why should the burden both financial and mental fall on the victim. The cost to the of the Lawrence case ran into millions of pounds and cost the family divorse due to the enormous stress the family were put under. The Lawrence case proved that racism within the police force stopped a proper investigation of the Lawrence case. This has left us with a probable situation that the police and the courts are treating none white crime with a softly softly approach. We have the same sort of kneejerk reaction after the Baby P case. The number of children being taken into care since that case has sky rocketed as social workers cover themselves against possable prosicusion We now have cases of children being taken from less than ideal homes and then being placed in a child care system that is not fit for purpose placing some children in greater danger than they would face at home. Our country has lost its way, We are willing to give 650 million pounds in child aid to a country who has spent 10.5 billion pounds developing atomic weapons rather than spending that amount on children services in this country.

UKR
15/05/2012 at 09:58

@UKR: "You looked up the Liecester case did you also watch the cctv footage of the attack."

I am sure the judge, prosecution and defendent's lawyers were eminently qualified to process the case appropriately. No doubt they looked at more than just cctv footage in their deliberations.

The victim can always take out a private prosecution and/or file a complaint about the handling of their case, as did Mr & Mrs Lawrences, parents of the racially motivated murder of Stephen Lawerence.

As for the further arrests in the alleged grooming and sexual abuse of minors case, well obviously the police are doing their job as per your expectations.

unhappy (now disgusted)
14/05/2012 at 22:19

Jason merz I hope that you and your mate made a complaint to the police, in bars like Yates there is a good chance that the incident was recorded. Violent idiots come in all shapes colours and sizes and need to be reported

UKR
14/05/2012 at 14:23

Yes unhappy I am very unhappy that since the Rochdale case a further nine males have been arrested for grooming underage girls for sex. You looked up the Liecester case did you also watch the cctv footage of the attack. This country has a major problem with children in care and the service is no longer fit for purpose, it is not a case of modernising, tweeking and putting things in order. The child protection service in this country is beyond repair. Children Services in this country needs to be rebuilt from the ground up and properly financed and managed at a national level. Then just maybe we will not have underage girls supposably in care walking the streets at night, getting drunk, stoned out of their minds and suffering multiple rape. Children Services are supposed to be there to protect children at risk arnt they?

UKR
14/05/2012 at 12:06

i remember a fews days ago me and my Nepalese mate went to town. in Yates we were in the club and a young lads came to us and said '' you own me a drink'' He obviously was drunk and my Nepali mate said ''lets go somewhere else'' and suddenly out of the blue he got attack for no reason on his head. (he did not fight back) a very wise man ever since after, i feel sorry for him for getting attack for no reason. he was a bit shocked. is a shame. i hope we all would get a along one day.

jason mirz
12/05/2012 at 11:08

Some commenters think that immigrants are not treated any more leniently than whites.Normally i would agree but i must admit in recent years things have begun to puzzle me.None more so than a murder case that British journalists were too terrified to report,thats why anyone mentioning the name of young scott, KRISS DONALD is met by the response "who's that?". Wiki that name and "read all about it".White MIDDLE CLASS jouno's refused to go near the case,too busy talking about their favourite opening line,,,,,"THE BLACK TEENAGER"..an American youth called Trayvon is currently flavour of the month.

steve radford
12/05/2012 at 10:34

I am not sure that the Nepalese got a more soft punishment than any other people. Most people who go to court on their first offense are given light punishments, I do not think anyone would have gone to prison for this relatively small crime.

Davy Crockett, Farnborough
12/05/2012 at 07:52

@Dave2009: Any excuse for the usual suspects to make it into a race issue.

I could be flippant and say "Hey, they are integrated. Behaving like any other Brit kid. So why is the Judge expecting different behaviour standards from them?"

However, if the sentencing is flawed, the prosecution can always appeal, just like Abu Qatada!!! Why don't you write to your MP Mr Gerald Howarth? I am sure given his 'love' of the Nepalese/Gurkhas he's sure to be most diligent in the matter.

@UKR Dave2009 asked for evidence not a rant.

As for the case of drunken Muslim girls I googled "drunk muslim girls attacked a man". Back came a case of 3 Somali sisters and their cousin (average age 26) attacking Miss Rhea Page (age 22) - described by the media as "A girl gang of Somali Muslims" but were in defence attacked by her boyfriend. Thus Judge Brown said "he accepted that they may have felt victims of unreasonable force."

Miss Page said outside the court: “They were taking turns to kick me in the head and back over and over. I thought they were going to kill me. I honestly think they attacked me just because I was white. I can’t think of any other reason.” How about they were drunk stupid?

As for the recent case of Asian men being convicted for sexual exploitation of female minors that was a case of comtemptable amoral adults taking advantage of vulnerable and damaged female minors.

Lets ask how the girls came to be available to be preyed upon by these comtemptable amoral adults when they were meant to be in care? A care that cost the state reportedly £250,000/year per child as reported in the Daily Mail!! The Girl in care "was meant to be receiving a round the clock ‘solo’ care, went missing 19 times in three months for up to two weeks at a time."

Where were the parents of the other girls?

As for the Police not taking the girls' allegations seriously, they simply judged the book by the cover, and did not consider the girls credible. Nothing to do with being 'PC'. We have seen the same plenty of times as in the case of "White" victims of crime: Baby P(eter); the NOTW phone hacking case; "Fiona Pilkington, a mother found dead in her burning car with her disabled daughter, had contacted police 21 times in seven years about a gang of youths terrorising her family, an inquest heard." etc.

So stop your belly aching!